MLB.com beat writer Brian McTaggart blogs about all things Astros.

Amador reports to camp

Japhet Amador reported to Astros camp on Friday afternoon. He went through a physical and worked out with the players who were staying behind at Osceola County Stadium instead of playing in the night game against the Braves at Disney.

Amador, signed last year out of the Mexican League, originally didn’t report to camp because of complications with his wife’s pregnancy. Now that he’s here, he will compete for a starting first base job, and he said he could be ready for game action in three or four days.

Amador’s agent, Oscar Suarez, served as his interpreter when the met reporters.

“It was a tough decision when she was in the hospital,” Suarez said. “It was his family’s decision, her family’s decision, but she’s doing better now. But he’s still worried she might have a setback or two.”

Japhet Amador prepares to work out

Amador knows a few of the players in camp, having represented the Astros in the Arizona Fall League. Delino DeShields Jr. and Jonathan Meyer were his teammates.

“It was a long season for him since he played winter ball and he got the point he got to mentally get away from the game,” he said. “Now he’s ready to come back.”

Amador hit 36 home runs for Diablos Rojos del Mexico. He led his team in homers and RBIs, with 121. In 104 games and 449 plate appearances, Amador struck out only 59 times.

“His dream is to become the first baseman here, and he’s got the support of his family, his wife’s family,” Suarez said. “This is where he wants to be, and he’s looking forward to the challenge.”

Meanwhile, right-hander Asher Wojciechowski was back in camp after flying to Houston for a PRP injection into an injured lat he’s been dealing with for a month.

“It’s feeling fine,” he said. “I think we’re going to give it a couple of more days of rest and then whatever the trainers want to do and go along with how I’m feeling. Hopefully this helps the recovery process.”

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.